A natural progression in devices is to build more function or even to combine more functions into one device. In the past ten years, for example, mobile communications, personal data assistants, and portable navigational devices have become very popular. These devices have moved from desktop computers to hand-held devices. Personal data assistants (“PDA”) are also exceedingly popular. The first PDA-type devices merely held a listing of contacts and may have had a calendar function. Now PDAs, in addition to holding contact data and a calendar, hold e-mail. PDAs have now been provided with the capability to respond to e-mail and are linked or synchronized with a computer periodically so any e-mail answers can be ported over to a computer for sending. Calendar changes are also synchronized.
Navigational devices represent yet another technology that has boomed as of late and which is now becoming popular and affordable. Previously, navigational devices were expensive and far from portable or hand-held. Most navigational devices could only be found on ships and airplanes. Now, navigational devices are popular options in luxury cars and navigational devices have become popular with outdoorsman of all types. Fisherman have them to mark out their favorite fishing holes, for example. These devices have also been combined with other devices, such as depth finders or fish finders which are popular with anglers.
Recently, PDAs and navigational devices, such as global positioning systems (“GPS”), have been combined. There are problems with such combined devices. For example, current combination devices which include a PDA and a GPS are confusing to use. One of the more confusing aspects is switching between the software applications needed for the GPS and the software applications needed for the PDA.
When navigational devices or PDAs were first introduced, problems associated with using these device outdoors were generally not contemplated. The cost and size of the navigational device all but prohibited one from using the navigational device outdoors. PDAs were generally used in office environments. Escaping to the outdoors generally meant leaving your PDA inside. Such devices were not waterproofed and not ruggedized.
The size reduction and lesser cost of the navigational devices and the combination navigational devices and PDAs now make outdoor use more common. As a result, the device must be ruggedized to accommodate outdoor use. The navigational device must be made waterproof as well as drop-resistant so that the device can withstand the rigors associated with such use. A device that combines uses, such as a combination PDA and navigational device, must also be made waterproof and drop-resistant. Making these devices waterproof and drop-resistant also is necessary as many users do not exercise care when handling such devices. It seems that as the cost goes down, so does the amount of care one uses in handling a device. Making such a device waterproof and drop-resistant will lessen the number of returns from users in the field. In addition, more rugged devices generally will have a market advantage. A consumer is more likely to pay a premium for a rugged, more dependable device.